Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-05-13
Stories of the Dead Millionaire.
IFro1n tl,a Chicaro Ti1nas

In 1879 the Democratic State Convention
ut Madison nominated Mitchell for Gov
ernor while he was in London. He sent a
cable dispatch positively declining the
nomination. but omitted his signature, as is
customary, to save expense, when the
sender of cablegram is we'll known. The
enthusiastic Democrats would not accept
the dispatch as genuine because he had
not signed it. Jim" Jenkins, the Mil
waukee lawyer, was delegate in the con-
vention. and defended the genuineness of
the dispatch by explaining the custom as
to cable messages. "Cablegrams cost forty
cents word. he said, and We all know
Mr.. Mitchells economical habits where
expense is not necessary. By not signing
his name to his dispatch he saved eighty
the Democrats Of the outlying Milwaukee
wards and of the backwoods, and the de-
1ination was accepted.
Yet in political matters, when he took an
interest on one side or the other, Mr..
Mitchell was not only generous but lavish
of money. He attended meeting of the
Democratic State Central Committee in
1871, when ex-senator J. r. Doolittle was
the Democratic candidate for Governor.
How much money do you expectto raise?"
he asked. He was answered by Sat Clark
that they ought to have about $4,000.
"Glve me the pen" he said, and pulled the
paper toward him. He signed for 1880
half the amount said to be required-and
drew his check for the money. 1t was
about all the money that they had for the
campaign.
He was a delegate to the Democratic
1876, where Tilden was nominated for
President Doolittle, George B. Smith,
Joe Rankin, N. d. Frat, and others
were his colleagues. At the close of the
convention their several bills were sent to
their parlor, the cost of which $500 for
the week. was appo1tioned among them.
Ringing the bell as clerk appeared Mr..
Mitchell said: snake the bill Che pro-
nourced it "buil," witha bur in his pro-
nunciation) for the room out to me-" 1t
was done, and he drew his check for the
whole amount.
His gifts to charity were very numerous,
and he even allowed himself occasionally
to lie bled TO reasonable extent by frauds
and >aadbeats whom he knew to be such.
He hau some worthy pensioners. generally
DOOR scotohmen, to whom he gave regular
pratuities. In church matters and others
of really deserving character, he usually
let the begging committee get all that they
could raise from others, and then made up
the remainder himself.
When Mitchell was worth 100000 or
$2OO,OO0, and was regarded as growing
Western banker, he made his first formal
visit as capitalist to the East and went on
70 Wall street. He was Immediately Sc
,ectel as their prey by the wolves of the
street. He had determined to try his luck
a little in stocks and they found out what
his purchase was. They manipulated the
stock, working it down. and hung on to it
with characteristic tenacity. He was
called upon for margins, and kept putting
up and putting up. It did not take him
long to catch CO.." and he saw what the
sharpers were at. He at once drew and
raised enough money to buy at its greatly
depressed value every dollar of stock which
he had margined for considerable portion
Of its price as it then stood. "Take that,
dom We, he said mentally and aloud to the
whole of Wall street, as he babe it good-by.